Process and apparatus for feeding sulphur to burners



Dec. 4, 1923. 1,476,523

H. D. KERR PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SULPHUR TO BURNERS Patented Dec, 4, 1923.

r UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ica.,

PROQESS AND APPARATUS FOR FEEEDINGl SULPHUR T0 BURNE-Rs.

Application filed January 20, `1923. Serial-No. 613,989.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, HERBERT DUGnAss KERR a subject of the Kin-g of Great Britain,v residing at Riccartom. Christchurch, in the Dominion of New. Zealand, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatus for Feeding Sulphur to Burners, of which the following is Va specification.

This invention relates to the feeding of sulphur to any existing burner, used for the purpose of producing sulphur di-oxide.

In practice itis .found that irregular arrivals of solid Sulphur to the burner, even although delivered 4to a bath of liquid sulphur in this burner, will result in an irregular production of sulphur di-oxide. This irregularity has far reaching effects on the ultimate .production of sulphuric acid from this gas, ,both as regards production 'of a given plant, and recovery of sulphur in the form of sulphuric acid, and in chamber plants onthe amount of nitric acid used. f The mechanical means most generally used is v.a screw conveyor carrying crushed sulphur. The weakness of this systeml is that mechanical defects arise, and also the amount of sulphur carried depends upon the -degree of neness of same withv av correspondin variation in the grade of gas pro'- duced. ceding by manual means requires the opening and shutting of feed doors, and is also objectionable from the point of view that the sulphur feed arrives intermittently.

Power and lant are also necessary to lthe running. of) any mechanical feed, also any foreign matter contained in the sulphur is delivered tothe burner and gradually fills this burner -with ash; also constant at-` tention is requiredto see that the mechanical feed works properly, and also the sulphur fed through the mechanical screw has y to be of an appropriate degree of fineness,

and during the crushing to this state, there is always a risk of fire and explosion, due to the presence of foreign matter which pro-` duces sparks when subjected to friction in the crushing.

It is the object of the present invention, however, to provide a process and apparatus therefor, whereby the defects in working abovementioned may be eliminated or reduced to lvery considerable extent.

In order that the nature of the invention may be clearly understood it willA now be explained with reference to ,theaccompanying drawings showing a preferred form of the apparatus employed and inf which:-

-so is a pipe 2 or a plurality of such lconnecting at its upA er end, at a point above the chamber 1, with a hopper 3 into which is adapted t0 be fed sulphur in s olid form from a bin or other appropriate source, the

arrangement being such that the sulphur will travel by gravit from the hopper downward through t e pipe 2 into the chamber 1.

The said pi e 2 extends for a required distance rtowards the bottom or floorl of the chamber 1 and such chamber is rovided at its .upper portion with means or the admission of air thereto such air-admission being controllable at the will of the opp erator. y

VThe chamber 1 is first heated to the necessary degree of temperature to ignite the sulphur which is then permitted to run into such chamber through the feed-pipe-f'2 and air is admitted tothe chamber ins/order tov cause ignition of the sulphur.

This ignition serves to heat y'the pipe 2 thereby causing the melting of the sulphur inside the latter, whichsulphur flows down and collects in the form of a pool or bath at the bottoni of the chamber.. The arrangement-is such that the amount of sulphur so melted and delivered to\ the chamber is de-y endent upon the amount ofheat resultin rom the ignition, which is in turn depen ent uon the volume of air admitted to the cham er. Thus it will be understood that by regulating the air admitted any desired rate of delivery lof sulphur to the chamber may be obtained, such variation in the rate of admission being of course within limits of the capacity of the said apparatus.

'lihe liquid sulphur is allowed to accumulate Within the chamber .to a predetermined hei hrtr 'which is Somewhat'above fthe lower endgof the said pipe 2 in order to seal the latter `:from the air and so prevent ignitlo-n of the sulphur in the interior of the pipe.

Upon 'reaching the said' predetermined level, .the liquid sulphur is permitted to overflow from the chamber 1 into a duct or pipe 4c or a plurality of such and by means of which Such sulphur is delivered in liquid formy to the burners. The said overflow is so arranged thatlthe sulphur Will-be drawn from a point beneath the surface of the bath, thereby permitting the ash and scum, consisting of burnt and forei matter, to remain in the chamber. By t is means, therefore, the liquid sulphur delivered to the burners will be practically purified.

rlhe sulphur di-oxide resulting from the combustion of sulphur within the chamber is led of and deliverd to the burning hearth or other desired 'portion' of the -plant b means of one or-more-pipes or ducts 5 whic communicate with the chamber 1 at a point above the surface ofv the liquid sulphur bath.

ln the preferred form of the construction the pipe or pipes 5 is (are) so arranged aste constitute a heating jacket for the pipe l which conveys the liquid sulphur to the burners.

H found necessary or desirable, means will also be provided foradmitting air. to the interior of the duct 4 in order lthat the stream of liquid sulphur as it flows therethrough may ignite and so provide ad'ditional heat to ard against the danger of the sulphur solldifying before reaching the burners, such: air admission being controllable at the will of fthe operator.

This air -admiion may be conveniently provided as here -shown by forming the upper side of the duct of a series of tiles any of which may be removed when so desired.

ne or more suitable doors 6 will be pro- Y vided in the upper portion of the chamber l to permit of the insertion of anappropriate .implement by means of which the scum may be broken from time to time as required 1n order that the surface of the liquid sulphur may be in free communication with the ai-r as essen-tial for maintaining thevcombustion and through which door or doors the acvculaited ash can be removed from the 8, thus by removnarcose of air admitted will thereby be increased or'A diminished at the will of the operator.

In practice the chapiber 1 will preferably be composed of brick or other non-conducting material to conserve the heat, while a liner 9 0f cast-iron 0r other suitablev mate rial Will preferably be provided to contain the bath of liquid'sul hur, or again 'the same purpose may be e ected by making the whole chamber of castfiron and if necessary furnishing it with an external lagging of insulating material.

rlhevertical sup-plyy pipe or pipes 2, or at I all events the portion of the same Within the chamber, should be 'of cast-iron or other acid-resisting and heat-.conducting material in orde-r that the heat may be conveyed to the sulphur in the interior.

As previously mentioned the supply of sulphur tothe said feed pipe or pipes 2 is preferably .provided by means ofa hopper 3 arranged above such pipe and which hopper v in [turn is supplied other source.

In order to provide access to the pipe 2 when required the said pipe' is detachably connected with the hopper 3 by means of a collar or sleeve 10 slidable thereon and the hopper and bin are so arranged aS to be movable in a horizontal directlon.

This purpose, in the case of the hopper, is (preferably effected as here shown by provi ing the hopper with Wheels-11 adapted to travel upon rail-.s 12 and a similar construe tion may be employed in mounting the storage bin. A damper 13 or other device is also provided in the hopper 3 for the purpose loi? from a storage bin or lnitercepting the run of sulphurto the pipevv 2 when required and a similar device is'installed between the hopper and the storage bin.

The arrangement is suchC that by raising the collar 10 to vcle-ar the upper end of the pipe 2 the latter will be disconnected from the hopper, thereby permitting of the hopper being moved to one side and so exposing' the upper end of the ipe 2 which can then be removed or replr `i From the vforegoing description it will be seen that by a suitable adjustment oi' the air admission to the chamber 1 a regular and constant delivery of sulphur in' the required quantity may be obtained and which in turn provides a constant and regular over- Y How of liquid sulphur to the burners.` l It will be understoodalso that' on account of the fact that the impurities are wholly,`

or to a large extent, retained in the chamfber, the sulphur delivered to the burners by 'this means will be practically pure and consequently the formation of ash in the burners will be to a large extent eliminated by the present invention.

Again, by the present invention, sulphur of any 4size to that which will freely run down the pipe 2 may be used, thus dispensing tota large,extent'with the risk attendant upon finer crushing. f

In a modified form of the invention the delivery of liquid sulphur to the chamber is dispensed with and the feed pipe Q is arranged to receive dry sulphur and deliver it in liquid form to the burners direct. In this case the said, feed pipe will be perforated to allow a portion of sulphur passing into an annular combustion chamber surrounding such pipe, such combustion chamber being provided with a controllable air admission in order that the combustion of sulphur may occur in the said combustion chamber for the purpose of supplying the necessary heat to the pipe to melt the sulphur contained therein. The said combustion-chamber will also'be preferably pro` vided with ducts or pipes to carry the sulphur di-oxide produced bythe combustion to the burners or lother portion of the plant. In this form of the invention theplant is somewhat simplified but it possesses thedis'- advantage in that it affords no means for purification of the sulphur.

1. Apparatus for feeding sulphur to burners comprising a pipe down which'sulphur is adapted to travel by gravity, means` for delivering sulphur in solid form into the upper end of said pipe, a combustion chamber surrounding a portion of said pipe and in which chamber sulphur is burnt to provide the required degree of temperature to melt the sulphur 'passing down said pipe, means ,for admitting air to said chamber to maintain combustion, and a duct for delivering suclr molten sulphur by gravity to the burners. y.

2. Apparatus for `feeding sulphur to burners as defined in claim 1 characterised in that the duct delivering the liquid sul.

I through.

3. An apparatus kas set forth in claim 1, the duct for delivering the molten sulphur beingv provided with. an air admission to permit combustion ofthe stream of sulphur flowing therethrough, said air admission being controllable at the'will of the operator.

4. Apparatus for feeding sulphur to burners as defined in claim 1 characterised in that the said air admission to the'combustion chamber is controllable'by the operator.

5. Apparatusfor feeding' sulphur to lburners as defined in claim 1 characterised .-inthat a pipe or plurality of pipes is pro- 6. Apparatus for feeding sulphur t0 contain liquid sulphur, a pipe projectingl downwardly intol said chamber to a point near the bottom thereof, means for feeding sulphur in solid form into the upper end of the said pipe, means for admitting air to said chamber to promote combustion therein of sulphur delivered by saidpipe, a

duct communicating with said chamber and through which duct sulphur melted b-y said combustion is permitted to flow by gravity to the burners. p

9.'.Apparatus for feeding sulphur to burners as defined in claim 8 characterised in that the lower orifice of the. downwardly extending pipe communicates with the chamber at a point beneath the surface of the liquid sulphur contained in said chamber.

10. Apparatus burners as defined in claim 8 c aracterised in that the said duct is arranged to communicate with the chamber at a oint beneath the surface of the liquid sulp ur contained therein.

11. Apparatus .for feeding sulphur to f\or feeding sulphur to.

burners as defined in claim 8 characterised 1n that the chamber is composed of nonmetallic material and is provided withan `internallining of cast-iron to contain the liquid sulphur.

12. An apparatus for feeding sulphur to a combustion chamber the lower portion ofwhich isyadapted to contain liquid sulphur, y

comprisin a ipe projecting downwardly into said c am er toa point near the bottom thereof', a 'hopper connected with the upper end of said pipe for, feeding solid sulphur thereinto, means for admittlng air to said combustion chamber to promote combustion,

and a duct communicatlng with said chamberand adapted to conduct the molten sulphur from said chamber by gravity.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, the hopper being detachably'connected 'to the pipe andY removablehorizontally to permit free access to the upperend of the vided for leadingthefsulphur di-oXide proplpe. v v

- 14.- An ap aratus as set forth iny claim 12,

.duced by the combustion of sulphur in the chamber to the burners or otherdesired portion of the plant.

including a s idable collar engaging adjacent portions of thehopper and pipe, whereby v regulate the amount 20 chamber surrounding a portion of said pipe,

said hopper is A'detachably connected to the 15. The process for feeding sulphur to burners which consists of first melting the sulphur by subjecting it to heat produced by the combustion of sulphur in a' chamber the air admission to which is controllable to 0% sulphur melted thereby and then permittl the molten sulphur so produced to flow y gravity in liquid formv to theburners.

16. The recess for feeding sulphur to burners which consists of causing sulphur in solid form'to pass by avity down a pipe, 'melting such sulphur y heat derived from'` the combustion of a portion of such sulphur in a chamber surrounding the said pipe, and permitting the liquid sulphur so obtained to flow by gravity to the burners.

17. The rocess for feeding sulphur to burners'whlch consistsn of causing sulphur in solid form to pass by gravity down a pipe, l meltingsuch sulphur during transit through such pipe by the combustion of sulphur in a f :Lamaze permitting the molten sulphur to How from said ipe and to accumulate in the bottomV ef sald chamber, and' permitting the saidl enters, allowing the molten sulphur so pro-l duced to accumulateat the betteln` of .said chamber, and permitting said molten' sulphur to How by gravity to the burners fromr apoint in the chamber beneath the surface of said accumulation of liquid sulphur -in said chamber.

In witness .whereof 'll have hereuntoV set phur in my hand this 18th day of December, 1922, in i the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HERB-ERT DUGLASS KERR. v

Witnesses: v

SmNnrJAMns Tnmmvm H.. l?. Barren 

